The Secrets We Keep
by Black Canary719
Summary: The other S.H.I.E.L.D. she worked for wasn't the only secret Bobbi was keeping from Hunter, and it wasn't what was on that flash drive she hid from him. She was hiding something far more personal, something she should have told him years earlier but never did. And when he finds out, it changes everything. Takes place mid-season 2, before the reveal of the other S.H.I.E.L.D.
1. Chapter 1

**This is an idea I had based on what I thought Bobbi might have been hiding from Hunter, before it was revealed that it was her involvement with the other S.H.I.E.L.D. and their plans. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the twist, but I still think my idea was a good one too. I hope you agree. This begins right after the thing in the alien city, before Bobbi called things off with Hunter and before it was revealed what her secret was.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or any part of Marvel.**

He was aware that he shouldn't have done it.

He had been looking for Bobbi. He had thought that he would find her in her bunk, but she wasn't there when he got there. He had been just about to leave and see if Mack knew where she was when he noticed her backpack sitting on the bed. She clearly had been going through it and then had been pulled away by something else, because she had left it open. And sitting next to it was the flash drive that she had hidden from him in Puerto Rico.

Hunter stared at it for a few seconds, his mind caught up in a tangle of thoughts and questions. She had told him that the secret she and Mack were hiding was a support group, and while he desperately wanted to believe that, he wasn't sure he did. She had been very keen to hide that flash drive from him before. Whatever was on it, it had to be related to what she was hiding from him. If it was evidence of a support group, then his wondering could be put to rest and they could move on. If it wasn't…

"Hunter?" Bobbi's voice called from around the corner. "Skye said you were looking for me."

He made a split-second decision, and grabbed the flash drive, slipping it into his pocket before she arrived. "Yes." He was quickly, turning to her. "I was. But I just remembered, I promised Coulson that I would do inventory tonight. I have to get on that. We'll rendezvous later, ok?" He said, starting to slowly edge around her.

She grinned at him. "Lance Hunter, taking responsibility." She said. "Must be the end of the world." He gave her a small grin in return. "Ok. Find me when you're done."

"Will do." He said, and hurried away.

Part of him felt extremely guilty, but he had gotten pretty good at ignoring that part of his brain over the years. He was headed to his own bunk when he ran into Skye, who was most likely on her way to bed, he computer tucked under her arm. "Skye," He said, and she paused and looked at him. "Can I borrow your laptop?"

Skye sighed and held it out to him. "Go nuts. I'm done with it for tonight."

"Thanks." He said, taking it. "I'll give it back to you in the morning, I promise."

"See you then." Skye said, and she walked away.

Hunter shut himself in his bunk, and then sat down on the bed and turned the laptop on. He pulled the drive out of his pocket and looked at it, turning it over in his hand. "Please don't have anything bad on here, Bobbi." He muttered. "I want to trust you. I really do." He plugged the drive into the computer.

After a moment, the contents appeared on the screen. There were several files on them, and just by eyeballing the titles, it didn't look like any of them were related to a support group. There was a file titled "Progress Reports", another one labeled "Financial Records", and several medical records for someone named Ava. He frowned.

"Who's Ava?" He wondered aloud. Why would Bobbi or Mack have a drive containing somebody else's medical records? He continued scrolling down, and paused when he saw a file labeled "Pictures." He hesitated, and then clicked on it. Maybe whatever they were pictures of would give him some idea of what all this was about before he started going through any of the other documents. The photo that appeared on the screen, however, was quite honestly the last thing he expected.

It was a little girl. She couldn't have been more than three or four years old. Hunter caught his breath. She had Bobbi's eyes, but the way she was smiling at the camera…it reminded him of himself. His heart started pounding as he looked more closely at the picture, trying to absorb every detail. Yes, it was definitely his smile. Her hair was the color of his, but it framed her face like Bobbi's.

He went to the next picture. This one was of Bobbi, with the girl sitting in lap. The girl was giggling about something, and Bobbi was smiling. There were several more pictures, but Hunter closed the photos window and sat back, his head buzzing. That little girl…she had looked like…but surely she couldn't be…could she?

He looked at the list of files again, and spotted one that caught his eye. It was labeled "Birth Certificate." He quickly clicked on it, and a digital copy of a birth certificate appeared. His eyes landed on the name listed. _Ava Susan Hunter-Morse_. He swore his heart skipped a beat. "Oh my god." He whispered aloud. As if he needed more confirmation than that, he quickly found the father's name printed on the certificate. _Lance Hunter_.

This girl was his daughter. How could Bobbi have never told him?

He closed his eyes, trying absorb all of this new information. He actually had a daughter. The little girl in the photo, with Bobbi's eyes and his smile…that was their daughter. Ava. Her name was Ava. His daughter, Ava. He opened his eyes again and checked the certificate for a date of birth. _October 15, 2011._ That would make her a little over three years old. He tried to remember the year of 2011, which would have been easier had his head not been so clouded by shock. Yes, he and Bobbi had been together earlier that year…roughly the right amount of time earlier…but she had never said anything…

From somewhere underneath the layers of shock, disbelief, and questions, he felt a spark of anger. How could Bobbi have left him in the dark about this? Over three years…nearly four if you counted the time she must have been pregnant…and not a single word. They may not have always had the most honest relationship, but to lie to him about something this important, this personal? Why did she do it? Did she think that letting him know would somehow endanger Ava? Did she think he wasn't responsible enough to be allowed to have anything to do with raising her?

Did she think he wouldn't want the kid?

She wasn't the only one who had lied to him, he realized. Mack had to know too. He had known from the beginning that he was in on her secret. Mack knew about Ava, and he had helped Bobbi keep her existence a secret from him. He had never felt so betrayed. And that was saying something.

He looked at the birth certificate again, and his whirlwind of emotions shifted focus from Bobbi and Mack to Ava. The initial shock, though definitely still swirling through his head, had faded enough for the fact to really sink in. He had a daughter. He had no idea how to be a father. He had never planned on having children. Even when he and Bobbi had been married, they agreed that they really weren't the type, and that their jobs were too dangerous to balance with raising a family anyway. After they had gotten divorced, any small embers of the idea of children had vanished. Bobbi was the only person who even in his wildest dreams he could picture having a baby with. He had never really thought about it beyond that. He had never really been able to predict what his future held, but when he tried, a child had never been part of that picture.

Where was Ava now? Hunter frowned as this dawned on him. Obviously she wasn't there at the base with them, but that was where Bobbi was, and had been for weeks. And before that, she had been undercover at Hydra for god only knows how long. Where did she leave Ava while she was doing all this? Who was taking care of her? Who did Bobbi trust enough to place her daughter in their care?

He closed the birth certificate and looked through the files again. He clicked on "Financial Records", and found a detailed record of payments that Bobbi had made to a private account. Payment for caring for Ava? It was a possibility, Hunter thought to himself. The record went back to before the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., meaning that if this was Ava's caretaker, they had been doing it back then too.

He closed the records, and then, after a moment, opened the pictures again. He took a long look at his daughter smiling back at him on the screen. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He was starting to feel slightly sick. This girl was his, but she didn't know him. Did she even know about him? Could he still be her father? Should he be? And how would he do that, exactly? Would Bobbi let him see her? What would he do if she did? Was he in any way capable of being there for her the way that her father should be? Bobbi was right about one thing. He rarely stayed anywhere, he rarely cared, and he rarely took any sort of responsibility. Could he change for this little girl he had never met? Was she better off wherever Bobbi had put her? It was true that he had never met her, but he knew somewhere in his gut that he had to do whatever would be best for her. He cared about her enough to basic instinct for that. The problem was, he had no idea what that was.

He didn't have an answer to any of these question as they filled his head. He did know one thing, though. He had to confront Bobbi. He grabbed the laptop and left his bunk.

He went straight for Bobbi's bunk, where he found her on her hands and knees on the floor, looking under the bed. He cleared his throat, and she looked up. "Oh, hi Hunter." She said, getting to her feet. "Hey, have you seen a flash drive around here? I've lost one."

Hunter pushed the laptop into her hands. The picture of Ava was still on the screen. Bobbi's eyes widened, and the color drained from her face. "Is this girl my daughter, Bobbi?" He asked seriously.

Bobbi looked at him, and he could clearly see the terror in her eyes. "Hunter," She began.

"I've already seen enough to know the answer, Bob." He told her. "I just want to hear you say it. Is she my daughter?"

It was a moment before she spoke. "Yes." She said softly.

Hunter slammed the computer closed and tossed it onto the bed behind Bobbi. "How could you?" He demanded. "How could you lie to me about this?"

"Hunter, I'm sorry." Bobbi said desperately.

"No, that's not going to cut it, not this time." He shot back. "This isn't like all those times before, Bob. This isn't lying to me about why you're in town or keeping details about your cover a secret. We have a daughter, and you didn't tell me about her. You didn't think I had a right to know? You didn't think I'd want to know?" Bobbi didn't say anything. Hunter sighed. "Why didn't you tell me when it happened, first of all? That particular time we were together may have ended differently from all the others if I had known there was a baby in the equation."

"I didn't find out I was pregnant until after we'd already gone out separate ways." Bobbi said.

"So why didn't you contact me?" Hunter asked. "You've always been able to, I know you could have."

"I thought about it." Bobbi admitted. "But at that point, I didn't even know what I wanted to do. I couldn't begin to predict how you would react. I just wanted to figure things out myself. And then when Ava was born, and I decided that I was keeping her…I almost did tell you. The phone was in my hand." She said, laughing slightly but clearly holding back tears. "The baby cradled in one arm and my phone in my other hand, sitting in a hospital bed. But I was scared to death, both of the fact that I had just become a mother and of the thought of having to tell you that you were a father, and admit that I had kept if from you my whole pregnancy. It was overwhelming, and…I lost my nerve, ok?"

"For three years." Hunter said, raising an eyebrow. "You lost your nerve for three years?"

"The longer I kept her a secret, the harder the idea of telling you seemed." Bobbi said. "Look, I know it was wrong, and I'm sorry. And I swear, if I had found out I was pregnant before we had split up, I would have told you."

"I want to believe that, Bobbi, but in case you haven't noticed, I have been here with you for weeks!" Hunter cried. "We've been together, and things have been good this time! All of those times I was in bed with you, all of the conversations we've had, and there was never a good moment for you to tell me?"

"I know." Bobbi said. "I'm sorry."

"If it had been the other way around, I wouldn't have kept this from you." Hunter said. Then he frowned. "I mean, I know that it's biologically impossible for it to have been the other way around, but…if somehow I knew about us having a child and you didn't, I would have told you. You know I would have."

"You have every right to be angry." Bobbi said earnestly. "But Hunter, try to look at this from my perspective. Deciding whether to keep Ava or give her up to adoption was the hardest decision I ever had to make. When I finally decided to keep her, I second-guessed myself hundreds of times, because it was hard. I was not instant mother material. Making arrangements to keep her safe and keep my job only made it even harder. It took everything I had to make it work, and adding you into the equation…" She trailed off, but Hunter got the point.

"You didn't want me around." Hunter said. "You didn't want me to get involved. You thought I would only make things worse."

"No, it wasn't like that!" Bobbi insisted. "It's not that I don't trust you. But I genuinely wasn't sure how you would react. And on top of that, you're…you. And commitment isn't really your thing."

"You didn't think I'd want anything to do with the baby." Hunter said. "Do you really think so lowly of me?"

Bobbi looked at the floor. "It was more fear than rationale." She said. "I think it was more my excuse not to tell you than anything else."

Hunter massaged his temples with his fingers. "I need some time to think, Bobbi." He said, and turned to leave.

"No!" Bobbi reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "We need to talk about this. I'll tell you anything that you want to know."

"And that's a conversation we're going to have, trust me." Hunter said. "But in the last half an hour I've found out that I'm a father, my daughter is already three years old, and the love of my life hid her from me. It's a lot to take in. I need some time to absorb. I'll be back later." He pulled away and started to walk out. He paused in the doorway, however, and looked back. "And just so you know, I would have dropped everything and come as fast as I could. That's how I would have reacted." He walked away, leaving Bobbi standing alone.

 **So what do you think? There will be more, but it won't be too long. I'm thinking two or three chapters total. We'll see. I'll post again as soon as I can. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for all the positive reception this story has gotten. You guys are awesome.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**

Hunter wandered throughout the base for a while, lost in thought. Everything that had happened in the last hour was circling through his head at speeds he couldn't control. He honestly didn't know what to do next. It wasn't until he found himself down in the airplane hangar that he realized who he wanted to talk to. He headed over to the Bus, where he found Mack and Fitz working, as usual.

"You knew." He said as he approached them. Fitz looked up in confusion while Mack turned to him.

"Knew what, Hunter?" He asked.

"You knew about Ava." Hunter said angrily.

Mack understood, and his eyes widened. "Fitz, why don't you go take a break?" He said. "I need to talk to Hunter."

"Ok." Fitz said, putting his stuff down and glancing uncertainly at Hunter as he walked out of the plane.

Once they were alone, Mack sighed. "You found out." He said.

"Yes, I found out!" Hunter cried. "You had no right to hide this from me."

"I wanted her to tell you." Mack said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hunter demanded.

"It had to come from her, Hunter." Mack said. "It wasn't my place to tell you about Ava. It's between you and Bobbi."

"That's a load of crap, Mack." Hunter said.

"No it isn't, and you know it." Mack replied. After a moment he said, "It wasn't easy, Hunter, leaving you in the dark like that. Hartley wanted to tell you, but-"

"Izzy knew?" Hunter cried. "She knew and she never told me?"

"It wasn't her secret to give away, Hunter." Mack said.

Hunter sighed and sat down on Mack's workbench. Mack sat down next to him. "So you've met her." Hunter said. "Ava, I mean."

"Yeah, loads of times." Mack replied, nodding.

"What's she like?" Hunter asked.

Mack smiled. "She's a sweet little girl, Hunter. You'll fall in love the moment you set your eyes on her, trust me."

"If I get to set my eyes on her." Hunter grumbled.

"I don't think Bobbi will keep her from you if you want to see her." Mack told him. "You have every right to want to meet your daughter. Just talk to Bobbi."

"Talk to Bobbi." Hunter repeated quietly to himself, looking at the floor.

"There were days that she almost called you to tell you, you know." Mack said. "She's admitted that to me more than once."

"That would mean a lot more if she had actually called me." Hunter retorted.

"Look, maybe Bobbi made the wrong decision keeping you in the dark, or maybe her reasons were justified. I don't know and it's not my place to decide." Mack said. "But one way or another, what's done is done. You know now, and you have to think about the future. You have to think about what's best for Ava."

Hunter looked at him. "And what is best for Ava?" He asked.

"I don't know that either." Mack said. "I'm not her father."

"Just because I'm her father doesn't mean I know what to do, Mack!" Hunter cried. "I don't know anything about kids, and I don't know anything about her! I don't know what would be best for her, or what I'm supposed to do as her father! In this situation, I'm completely clueless."

"I suggest you talk to her mother, then." Mack said. He stood up. "I have work to do. If you want to talk again later, I'll be around. If you see Fitz on the way out, send him back in for me."

Hunter sighed and stood up as well. "Will do." He said. He started to leave, but then paused. "The flash drive with all the information about Ava on it." He said. "Was that yours or Bobbi's?"

"The information had all been saved over the years by Bobbi." Mack replied. "But I assembled it onto the drive for her. I told her that when she was ready to tell you, it had everything that she would need on it. So that she could tell you everything."

"Right." Hunter said. That explained why it had been with Mack's things when Bobbi had tried to smuggle it without him noticing. "Thanks Mack." He left the plane.

 **A Short Time Later**

When Hunter hesitantly approached Bobbi's bunk, still unsure if he really wanted to be there, he found her on her bed with Skye's laptop, looking at the pictures of Ava on the flash drive. "Hi." He said, coming over and sitting down next to her.

She looked up in surprise. He could tell by her eyes that she had been crying. "Hunter." She said.

He looked over her shoulder at the photograph on the screen. "She's younger in this one." He said. It was a picture of Ava being held by Mack. "How old is she here?"

"About six months." Bobbi replied, looking at the picture again.

"She's cute." Hunter said.

"Yeah." Bobbi agreed quietly. "She is." She hesitantly turned her head to look back at him. "Hunter-"

"Don't, Bobbi." Hunter interrupted. "Just don't. I'm not ready for apologies or any sort of attempt to make up yet. I still haven't decided if I'll ever be able to forgive you." Bobbi looked at the floor and nodded.

"That's fair." She said.

"But you did promise to tell me whatever I want to know." He went on. "And I do have questions. That's why I'm here."

"Of course." Bobbi said. "Anything."

"Where is she?" Hunter asked. "Where have you been leaving her while you're here?"

"The same year that Ava was born," Bobbi began, "A friend of mine at S.H.I.E.L.D. lost her husband to cancer. They had a five-year-old daughter. My friend, Samantha, quit her job at S.H.I.E.L.D. to take care of her, since she was on her own now and working for S.H.I.E.L.D. is dangerous. She found herself with no source of income, however. She knew about my pregnancy, and when Ava was born, I gave her a job offer. I pay her to take care of Ava while I'm working. I pay her enough to cover expenses such as food, plus a general salary. She emails me progress reports three times a week, sometimes with pictures, and some days when I have the chance I call and talk to Ava on the phone. When I'm not working a mission, I pick Ava up and she stays with me. When I have to leave again, and bring her back to Samantha. It's a good system, and Samantha does a great job taking care of her."

"When was the last time you saw her?" Hunter asked.

"Right before I went undercover at Hydra." Bobbi replied. "It's the longest I've ever been away, actually."

"Is it hard to leave her like that?"

"Sometimes it eats me alive." Bobbi admitted. "But I remind myself that she's safer there. It's much too dangerous to bring her here, as much as I'd like to."

Hunter nodded. He understood that. "You're right." He agreed softly. After a moment he asked, "Does she know about me?" Bobbi shook her head. "She's never asked about her dad?"

"She's only three." She reminded him. "But she did once."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that her father had to go away." Bobbi said. "I didn't elaborate any more than that, and she didn't ask."

"If I hadn't found out, and she got older and one day asked about me more persistently, what would you have told her?" Hunter asked.

"Once she was old enough, my plan was to tell her the truth." Bobbi said. "And if she wanted to meet you, I would have arranged it. I think part of me knew that you would find out before that day, though."

Hunter nodded. "Ava Susan, right?" He asked.

"Yes." Bobbi replied. "Ava Susan Hunter-Morse."

"Where did you get the name?"

Bobbi shrugged. "I liked it." She said. "I call her Ava Sue sometimes." Hunter smiled at that.

"And Hunter-Morse?" He asked. "I would have thought you'd just give her Morse, seeing as I wasn't in the picture."

"I never forgot about you, Hunter." Bobbi replied. "She's your daughter too, and I thought that was important. And Hunter-Morse has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"It does." Hunter agreed. After a moment, he said, "I want to meet her."

Bobbi nodded. "Ok." She said. "I can contact Samantha and arrange a visit for us, for a day. I've done it before, when I've only had a day or so break between missions. I'll also talk to Coulson about getting us a day off this week."

"Good." Hunter said. "Let me know when you get that arranged."

"I will." Bobbi promised.

"Does anybody else know?" Hunter asked. "Anybody here?"

Bobbi shook her head. "Not here."

"But there are other people who know?"

"Of course there are other people who know, Hunter." Bobbi said. "I could hardly keep her a secret from the whole world. But nobody else that you know. I promise."

"So just two of my closest friends and a bunch of total strangers found out before me, then. Wonderful." Hunter sighed. He stood up. "Let me know when you've got everything worked out." He looked at the laptop for a moment, and then asked, "Can I take that? I have a lot of catching up to do."

"Of course." Bobbi said, handing it to him.

"Thanks." Hunter said, taking it. "Goodnight, Bobbi." He left without another word.

Bobbi sighed and fell back onto the bed. "Goodnight, Hunter." She said aloud, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. "I'm sorry."

 **Still good? In the next chapter, Hunter meets Ava. One, maybe two chapters left. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**

Today was the day.

Bobbi had convinced Coulson to let them have a day off to 'recover from recent events' (Bobbi suspected he knew that was a load of crap, but he didn't question them, and she was grateful for that), and she had let Ava's caregiver Samantha know that they were coming. They lived a few miles outside of Washington DC. They had borrowed one of the cars at the Playground and were driving out there together.

Bobbi, who was driving, glanced over at Hunter in the passenger seat. He hadn't spoken since getting in the car, something that was very unusual for him. He was staring out the window at the scenery outside as they passed. Finally Bobbi, unable to stand the uncomfortable silence any longer, spoke. "Are you nervous?"

Hunter tore his eyes away from the window and looked at her. "What the hell kind of a question is that?" He asked. "Of course I'm nervous, Bobbi. How often do you meet your daughter for the first time?"

"She's three years old, Hunter, she's not that hard to impress." Bobbi told him. "Just be yourself."

"What if she doesn't like me?" Hunter regretted the question the moment it left his mouth. It sounded so childish when he said it out loud. It was the main worry on his mind, however. What was he supposed to do if she wanted nothing to do with him? Not that he really had a plan for the future if things went well, either. He was still trying to figure out what to do. He and Bobbi had spoken very little since he had found out about Ava. He was still upset with her, and she seemed to have sensed that and given him space. He was glad, because honestly he wasn't ready to talk to her yet, but it also meant that they had no plans for what happened after that day.

"What?" Bobbi cried. "Hunter, she'll love you. Trust me, of this I have no doubt. She's actually a lot like you."

He gave her an incredulous look. "Bob, as you just said yourself, the girl is three years old. How much like me could she possible be?"

"I'm serious!" Bobbi insisted, a grin appearing on her face.

"Whatever you say, Bobbi." Hunter said, returning to looking out the window.

"You'll see when we get there." Bobbi told him. "I promise."

There was silence for another minute or so. Then Hunter turned to her again and said, "Are we going to tell her that I'm her dad? Or am I just a friend of yours in this scenario?"

"That's up to you." Bobbi replied. "Whatever you want, I'm ok with. I owe you that. I've stolen too much from you already."

"At least we agree on something." Hunter muttered, looking out the window again. Silence fell again, and this time it remained until Bobbi stopped the car in front of a white house.

She looked at Hunter. "This is it." She said. "You ready?"

He nodded. "Yeah." He said. "Let's do this." He got out of the car, and Bobbi did the same.

Hunter followed Bobbi up to the front door of the house, and Bobbi rang the doorbell. A few moments later, the door was opened by a woman, who smiled. "Bobbi." She said.

"Hi Sam." Bobbi replied, smiling back and hugging her. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks. It's good to see you. It's been too long."

"Yes it has." Bobbi agreed. "How's your daughter?"

"She's good. She's at school right now. But don't worry, Ava is here." Samantha hesitated as she noticed Hunter. "Hello." She said.

"Sam, this is Hunter." Bobbi said quickly.

"Hi." Hunter said.

Samantha's eyes widened. "You mean…that Hunter?"

Bobbi nodded. "Ava's father."

Samantha looked at Bobbi. "So you told him."

"Actually, she didn't tell me." Hunter said. "But I found out."

"I see." Samantha said. "Well, come in." She pulled the door open wider and let them inside. They stepped into a yellow kitchen. "Ava is in the living room."

Bobbi looked at Hunter. "I should talk to her first." She said. "I'll introduce you. Then we can leave you two alone for a few minutes to let you guys talk." Hunter nodded, suddenly finding himself unable to say anything. His throat was tight and his mouth was dry.

The living room was directly across the hallway from the kitchen. Samantha led the other two into the room, and Hunter caught his breath. The little girl from the photographs was sitting on the floor in the middle of the carpet, playing with toys. "Ava," Samantha said, "Someone's here to see you."

Ava looked up, and a smile spread across her face that made Hunter's stomach turn with nerves again. "Mommy!" Ava cried, and she jumped up and ran into Bobbi's arms. Bobbi picked her up and hugged her tightly.

"Hello, Baby Girl." She said, grinning. There was a happiness in her eyes that Hunter hadn't seen in a long time. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." Ava said. She didn't seem to have noticed Hunter yet. "Are we going home?"

"Sorry, Ava, this is just a visit." Bobbi replied. "But I'll be here all day, I promise." That seemed to satisfy Ava, as she smiled again.

"She's been a very good girl." Samantha said.

"Of course she has." Bobbi said. "Ava Sue wouldn't do anything naughty, would she?" Ava shook her head solemnly. Bobbi kissed her on the cheek and then set her down. "You'll have to tell me all about everything I missed while I was away." She said. She glanced at Hunter for a moment, then said, "This is a friend of mine. He's going to stay here and play with you for a few minutes while I talk to Auntie Sam about some things, ok?"

"Ok, Mommy." Ava replied happily. Bobbi turned around and gave Hunter an encouraging smile before following Samantha back into the kitchen. "Come on." Ava said to Hunter, and she took his hand and pulled him over to where her toys were set up. She sat down on the floor, and he sat next to her.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he looked at her, unable to tear his eyes away. She had gone back to playing as though he wasn't there. He tried to snap himself out of his daze. This was his chance to introduce himself and get to know her, and to make a lasting first impression. He wouldn't get another chance at that. He switched his attention to what she was playing with. "The Avengers, huh?" He asked, reaching over and picking up an action figure of Thor.

"Yes." Ava replied. She picked up the Black Widow and Hawkeye action figures. "Mommy says she's met these two."

Hunter knew those stories too. "That's right, she has." He said.

"Have you met them too?" Ava asked curiously.

Hunter shook his head. "No, I haven't. But you know what? I work with a team of people who are like superheroes."

"Really?" Ava asked.

"Oh yeah." Hunter said, nodding. "We help people, and we protect the world. Just like the Avengers. But we do it in secret, so that the bad guys don't know we're coming."

"Is Mommy a superhero too?" Ava asked.

"Of course she is. Your mum is the best superhero I know." Hunter told her. He hoped she never told Bobbi that he had said that. "Besides me, of course."

Ava laughed, and Hunter found himself laughing too. Ava turned back to her toys. "This is Avengers Tower." She said, pointing to a tower of blocks. "And this are the bad guys." She picked up a small rubber snake and held it out to him.

He took it from her and set it on his shoulder. "Oh no, help me!" He said. "The snakes have me!"

Ava grinned and grabbed the Captain America action figure. "Avengers, save the man!" She cried, and used the doll to knock the snake off his shoulder.

Hunter grinned back at her. Then, after a moment, he said, "My name is Hunter."

Ava's eyes lit up. "That's part of my name too!" She said excitedly.

"I know." Hunter said, unable to resist laughing at her enthusiasm. Then he made a split-second decision. "Ava?" He said. "I'm your dad."

There was a gap of five seconds before she reacted, and those were the longest five seconds of Hunter's life. Longer than every near-death situation he'd been in, longer than the deliberate pause that Bobbi had made before answering his marriage proposal (just to mess with him), longer than any stressful event in his life. Finally, Ava spoke. "Really?" She asked, her eyes wide.

Hunter nodded. "Yeah." He said. "Yeah, I'm your dad."

Before he could say anything more, she had thrown her arms around his middle and hugged him. After a moment, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. "I'm so sorry we've never met before." He said. "I've been…away."

"Being a superhero?" Ava asked.

Hunter smiled slightly. "Sure." He said. "Let's go with that." He looked down at her in his arms, and said what he now knew to be true. "I love you, Ava."

Bobbi walked in, and paused in the doorway when she saw them. She smiled and watched them silently for a moment. Then, as Hunter released her, Ava noticed her mother in the doorway. "Mommy, I got to meet my dad!" She said excitedly, standing up and hurrying over to Bobbi. Hunter got off the floor as well and followed her.

Bobbi smiled broadly. "I know." She said. "I'm so glad." She briefly caught Hunter's eye before returning her attention to her daughter. "Are you two having fun in here without me?"

Ava nodded. "We played with the Avengers, and he told me about how he works to save people too, like a superhero!"

Bobbi raised her eyebrows at Hunter, who shrugged. "Sounds exciting." She said. "Well, your dad and I are going to take you out to lunch. Go get your shoes."

"Yes Mommy." Ava said, and she ran out of the room.

Once she was gone, Bobbi turned to Hunter. "A superhero?" She asked.

"Hey, she calls it like she sees it." Hunter said with a grin, raising his hands in surrender. Bobbi grinned back in spite of herself and shook her head. "Besides, she thinks you're a superhero too."

"I'm her mother." Bobbi said. "I am a superhero." She looked at Hunter again and said, "I told you she'd like you." After a moment she added, "I'm glad you told her. I was hoping you would."

"I'm glad I did it too." Hunter said. He looked back at her. "I want to be her father, Bob. I don't know what I'm doing, but I want to try."

"I don't really know what I'm doing either." Bobbi admitted. "I make it up as I go." Hunter nodded. "But lunch is a good place to start." Bobbi went on. "Get to know her, let her get to know you. Things can move on from there."

Ava came running back in with her shoes. "Mommy, will you help me?" She asked, holding them up.

"Of course." Bobbi replied, walking over to help her put on her shoes. Hunter smiled as he watched.

"My daughter." He mumbled under his breath. " _Our_ daughter." The words still sounded weird to him. But he liked the sound of them.

 **One chapter left. I hope to post it soon. Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Last chapter! Thank you for all your support.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**

Hunter and Bobbi spent all day with Ava. Bobbi held back, allowing Hunter time to get to know his daughter. Ava seemed to love him, and he seemed to love her. It thrilled Bobbi to see how much he really did care about their daughter, but every time she looked at them together she felt a twinge of guilt. She had stolen three years from Hunter. She had stolen from him the chance to see Ava's first step, or hear her first word. Those three years were something she could never give back.

They went out for lunch, then returned to Samantha's house, where they spent the day playing and just being with their daughter. They stayed for dinner, and then sat outside and talked as darkness fell until the little girl could barely keep her eyes open anymore. "I think it's time for bed." Bobbi said as she watched Ava let out a huge yawn.

"I don't want to go to bed." Ava mumbled, but even as she said it, it was clear that she was exhausted.

Hunter exchanged a quick glance with Bobbi and then stood up. "Come on." He said, scooping Ava into his arms and carrying her inside. Bobbi followed them.

Samantha met them in the kitchen. "Looks like someone's worn out." She said, observing as Hunter set Ava down. "Say goodnight to your parents, Ava. They have to leave soon."

Ava turned to Hunter, who sat down in one of the chairs around the kitchen table in the center of the room so they could be eye level. "Will you come visit me again?" She asked in a shy voice.

He smiled at her. "Of course I will." He said. "As soon as I can. I promise."

Ava smiled back. "Good." She hugged him, and he returned the embrace tightly. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too." Hunter said quietly. "Goodnight, Ava."

"Goodnight." She let go and looked at Bobbi. "Will you read me a story, Mommy?"

"Of course I will." Bobbi said with a smile. "Come on." She took Ava's hand, and they walked out of the kitchen, in the direction of Ava's bedroom. Samantha hesitated, looking at Hunter, and then walked out of the room as well.

Hunter leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. The day had blown past like a whirlwind, and he could hardly believe it was over. It had been amazing, spending the day with his daughter. He had been afraid that she wouldn't connect with him, but he couldn't have been more wrong. She wasn't at all shy; she was talkative and enthusiastic about things. She was bright, too, and very playful. The only thing he regretted about that day was that it had been too short. He wanted to stay with her forever, take her back to the Playground and be her dad. But he knew he couldn't do that. Bobbi had been right about one thing: S.H.I.E.L.D. was no place for a child. It was far too dangerous for her in his life. So where did he go from there?

He was jerked out of his thoughts by a voice. "Hunter?" He turned around to see Samantha hovering in the kitchen doorway. There was a white envelope in her hands.

"Hi." Hunter said. "Listen, we haven't had a chance to talk, but I just wanted to say thank you for taking care of Ava while Bobbi is…away. You've clearly been doing a really good job. It means a lot to me."

"She's a wonderful girl." Samantha said. She hesitated, then said, "Bobbi gave me this the first time she brought Ava to stay with me." She held up the envelope. "She said that if anything ever happened to her, I was supposed to find a way to get it to you. Today she told me that now that you know, I could throw it away. But I thought maybe you'd want to see it anyway." She stepped forward and held out the envelope to him.

He took it. "Thanks." He said quietly. Samantha offered him a small smile, and then left the room.

Hunter turned the envelope over in his fingers. His name was written on the front, in Bobbi's handwriting. After a moment, he tore it open and pulled out the piece of paper inside. It was a letter, written to him from Bobbi. He started reading.

 _Hunter,_

 _If Sam has given you this letter, it means that you're not going to see me again. I'm sorry. Not just for dying on you, but for the fact that her needing to give you this letter means that I never got a chance to share with you the best thing that you and I ever did._

 _The woman who gave you this letter, Sam, is a close friend of mine, but she's also more important than that. She frequently acts as a caretaker for a little girl named Ava. Ava Susan Hunter-Morse. She's mine, but more importantly, Hunter, she's yours._

 _I know you probably have mixed emotions about receiving such news, especially like this. That's ok. I understand. I also know that you're probably angry with me. That's ok too. But you can curse my name for the rest of your life. Right now, what's important is Ava. Because you're all she has left now, Hunter. She needs you. I know you've never met her, but trust me when I say that you'll love her right away. I know you well enough to know that. I guess that's one of the reasons I feel so guilty about not telling you._

 _You do have the right to be told why I kept her a secret. The truth is I was afraid. Obviously we didn't plan for this. I've been telling myself that I didn't tell you because of how you'd react, but deep down I know that's not it. I know that you'd be shocked, but you'd be there for her, and for me. I've told myself that your lifestyle would put her in danger, and maybe that's true, but no more so than mine. Really, the only real, true reason I have for not telling you was my own fear of what the future held. It was easier for you not to know. I didn't have to face the consequences that telling you would create. It was selfish of me to do, and I'm sorry for that._

 _Now that I'm gone, it's up to you what happens to Ava. Do whatever you think is best, but I hope that you stay to become her father. Despite everything, I know that you could be a good one if you tried. She doesn't know you, but you can change that. Just do me one favor, and make sure she has a great life. Make sure that she lives up to her limitless potential. Help her live for me._

 _I truly am sorry for all the pain I have caused you over the years. I just want you to know that even after all we've been through, I know that deep down I have always loved you. That may seem hard to believe after everything I've just told you, but I promise you that this time, I am telling the truth. I love you, Hunter. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you live out the rest of your life the best you can. And make sure that Ava knows that I love her. She is the most important thing in my life, and now I hope she can be the most important thing in yours._

 _Love, Bobbi_

Hunter read the letter through three times before he finally put it down. "Damn it, Bobbi." He whispered. No one could pull at his heartstrings like that woman.

"Damn it, me, what?" Bobbi asked as she walked into the kitchen. Hunter quickly crumpled up the letter in his fist and stuck it in his pocket.

"Nothing." He said, standing up. "Is Ava in bed?"

Bobbi nodded. "Tucked in and sound asleep."

"Good." Hunter said. "So I guess we should be heading out, then."

"I guess we should." Bobbi agreed.

"I'll wait out in the car if you want to say goodbye to Sam." Hunter told her, and he left the house without another word.

He sat in the passenger seat of the car and let his thoughts overtake him. He had a lot to think about. What was the next logical move for them? He wanted to be a part of Ava's life, but that was easier said than done. However they worked that out, though, one thing was clear. He couldn't do this without Bobbi. The two of them needed to be together on this if they were going to make it work.

He was still thinking this over when Bobbi got into the car. "Ok." She said. "Back to work." She started the car, and they turned around and began driving back up the road they had arrived on.

After a few minutes of driving in silence, Bobbi said, "So what do you think?"

"You were right about her." Hunter said quietly. "She really is amazing, Bob. And she's my daughter. That's important to me."

"I know, and it should be." Bobbi said. "You said that you wanted to be her father. Did you mean that?"

"Yes." Hunter said seriously. "I did. I don't know how we're going to pull it off, but I want to be in her life. I really do."

Bobbi nodded. "Ok." She said. "It's complicated, but we'll figure it out. I promise."

Hunter hesitated. "Bobbi, listen…about everything that's happened recently…"

"Hunter, you have every right to be mad." Bobbi interrupted. "I shouldn't have kept her a secret from you, especially not once we were working together again. It was wrong. I guess I was just-"

"Scared." Hunter finished for her, and she looked at him in surprise. "I get it, Bobbi. I mean, don't get me wrong, I wish you had told me. I wish that I had known. I wish that I had been there when she was born and for a million other special moments that must have happened since them. It definitely hurt to find out that you had hidden this huge part of both our lives behind your back. But Ava means a lot to me, and she means a lot to you. We need to work together to figure out what's best for her. So I hope that with time…maybe we can move on with our lives and just look forward, not back." After a moment, he added, "Because you mean a lot to me too."

Bobbi glanced at him, stunned. "You know that I want that too." She said. "More than anything." A smile played at her lips. "I think that's the most sentimental thing I've ever heard you say."

"Oh, shut up." Hunter said, rolling his eyes. "Go ahead, ruin the moment, you always do."

"Why couldn't our wedding vows have been like that?"

"Bobbi…"

"I'm sorry." Bobbi said with a grin.

"I'm serious about this." Hunter said. "But if we're going to do this, we're going to have to trust each other. No more big secrets. Promise?"

She glanced at him again and met his eyes briefly, her stomach turning as thoughts of a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft carrier flashed through her mind. "No more secrets." She said finally. "I promise."

The guilt was going to eat her alive.

Hunter grinned at her. "Alright then." He said. "Partners?"

"Partners." Bobbi agreed. "So what are we going to do?"

"I don't know." Hunter admitted. "Let's figure it out."

They weren't exactly the ideal picture of a family, but they were still a family. And they were going to be better because of it. Whatever the future held, they would handle it. From then on, things were going to be different. And he was looking forward to it.

 **So that's the end! I hope you liked it. I know that people have been asking for more, and I will admit that I do have a few ideas for a sequel. That's not a promise, though. Just keep an eye out. I'll post a note on this story if I decide to write one. I may wait for a while and see where the actual show takes the characters, and work out a storyline for a sequel based on that. And if you like my writing, keep an eye on my account, because I have some other stories in the works as well. Hopefully you'll be hearing from me soon. Until then, goodbye and thanks for reading. Reviews are always appreciated.**

 **Black Canary719**


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